Roberto Mancini has warned his strikers that Manchester City’s hopes of
retaining the Barclays Premier League will hinge on their form as the
manager struggled to conceal his frustration at the club’s failure to sign
Robin van Persie last summer.

Van Persie will face City for the first time — in tomorrow’s eagerly awaited
derby at the Etihad Stadium — since spurning the champions’ advances to join
Manchester United for £24 million from Arsenal in August.

The Holland forward — who has scored 13 goals in all competitions for United
this season, one fewer than Sergio Agüero and Carlos Tévez, City’s
first-choice strike